He Wanted Her to Live
by Winter Solstice1
Summary: CH 4 UP! Severus finds Hermione shortly after the final battle. She is dying. Can he save her? Crap summary, OOC AGAIN but please R&R and I'll write some more!
1. Chapter 1

A/N: I do not own, etc etc, but Sev is my favourite plaything and I always put him back when I'm finished!  
  
Okay, here is my second ever fanfic and two in two days at that! Probably not very good, totally out of character again but better than my first effort I think. I wrote this in an afternoon just because I got the idea out of nowhere. I MIGHT continue it if you think that I should. There's always room for some post-recovery fluff..  
  
Anyhow, this chapter is angst/drama, not really much romance although there could easily be if I write further chapters. Please let me know when you R&R and I'll hug you in thanks.  
  
***  
  
The pain raced the length of his forearm a final time, burning more than he had ever imagined it could, forcing him drop to his knees clutching it in agony. Bright spots danced in front of his eyes and he was convinced that this was it: that he was as dead as the creature he had once followed, that the brand that marked him so would make sure of that; but as abruptly as the pain had begun it was over, leaving him in a crumpled heap on the hard floor. He must have fainted then because when he came to night was falling steadily around him. He lay on his back staring up at the navy sky, trying to work out what had happened, certain something had changed. He was not mistaken, as a quick glance at his forearm proved. The dark mark he had worn as a constant reminder of who and what he was had gone. His forearm was pale and smooth and as unblemished as it had been when he was 17. So it really was over then. Voldemort was gone for good, the prophecy had been fulfilled. But who had survived? The question startled him from his reverie with his arm. There would be others worse off than him, he realised, others that would need his assistance. The destruction of the Dark Lord had taken place close by, he sensed, climbing unsteadily to his feet. Merlin only knew how many had died in order to achieve this! He walked slowly towards the centre of the destruction, seeing death all around but feeling very little. Severus was no stranger to death and pain; he had walked in its' shadow for most of his life, but the scale of it here was like nothing he had ever seen. Bodies littered his path and he could easily identify both Death Eaters and Order of the Phoenix members alike and they seemed equal in their numbers. He closed his eyes briefly when he realised how many of them he knew, how many were colleagues, students, even perhaps friends if he could admit to having such things.  
  
When he opened his eyes again, he was furious to find them damp with tears. There was no time for this! He took a moment to steady himself, let his breathing return to normal and then walked on. His carefully maintained emotionless façade was more important now than ever, especially if there were people who needed his help out here. As he neared a small cluster of burned and razed buildings he was beginning to give up hope of finding anyone who had survived this terrible battle when a small flutter of movement caught his eye. As he moved towards the figure he saw it lift its' head and with a jolt of shock realised who it was.  
  
Hermione Granger was lying flat on her back, surrounded by the lifeless bodies of several black-cloaked Death Eaters that Severus supposed she had killed herself. Her robes were bloody and torn, he could see her left ankle and wrist was probably broken by the way she was trying to hold them. One side of her face was a sheet of blood from a nasty looking cut at her hairline and she was bleeding in at least half a dozen other places that he could see. Her eyes were half closed and her breathing was shallow and short, but as he leaned over her she seemed to stir a little and her eyes opened a little to meet his unflinchingly.  
  
"Professor?" Her voice was weak, barely a whisper and Severus realised then just how badly injured she was, she could hardly find the strength to breathe, let alone talk. He moved swiftly then, sitting down on the floor close to her and easing her head onto his lap so that she was a little more comfortable. She tried to smile her thanks but winced suddenly in pain. Severus drew in breath sharply, knowing that none of the healing spells he knew would be enough to save her now. An hour, maybe less and she would be as dead as the rest of them. Frantically casting about him, he sent a shower of sparks high up into the night sky with his wand, desperately hoping that they would be seen. What Hermione needed was a Mediwitch and she needed one now. Severus knew that he would not be able to save her.  
  
"Don't try to speak," he looked into her frightened eyes, wishing that there was more he could do. He knew full well that there was a spell that would simply stop her breathing, putting an end to her pain before it got much much worse but he was reluctant to use it if there was still a chance she could survive. He busied himself with conjuring splints for her wrist and ankle, trying to ignore her little moans of pain. There was little else he could do but wait. He did not know what kind of redemption either of them were likely to find. He stared off into the distance, hoping for her sake that the end would come quickly.  
  
"Am I going to die?" Hermione's croaky voice cut through his thoughts and he looked down at her, his face a strange mixture of pity and hope.  
  
"I can't tell you the answer to that," he told her softly, watching as her eyes flickered closed only for her to stubbornly open them again.  
  
"I don't want to die," if she had the strength she would be crying he realised. It had never been in his nature to offer sympathy or comfort; he had always been a cold creature, disdaining the use of emotion, feeling very little. He had seen death, yes, but this was different. After all that had happened it seemed stupidly unfair that she should die now. She deserved to live, he realised. He wanted her to live.  
  
"You've been very brave," he murmured, brushing stray strands of bloody hair away from her face, trying to make her comfortable. "You're a true Gryffindor, Hermione." Severus did not know it, but his eyes were gentle as they met hers. "You have nothing to fear now, little one. It is done."  
  
"Then it is over?" This time, speaking made her cough violently and when she settled again he could see blood at the corners of her mouth. Her breathing was becoming more and more laboured and she was fading fast. How she remained so steadfastly brave he did not know.  
  
"It is over. It would seem that the Dark Lord is gone, this time for good," he shoved the sleeve of his robes up over his forearm so that she could see that the Mark had gone. He was absurdly touched when she managed a faint smile.  
  
"That's good," she whispered. Her eyes closed and this time they did not reopen. The only noise in the deep silence of the growing night was the rattle of her breath as she struggled to speak. "At least it wasn't all for nothing," she sighed.  
  
"Not for nothing, no," Severus found himself speaking, agreeing with her just to try to keep her awake.  
  
"Harry?" she managed to ask.  
  
"I don't know," he told her honestly. "It would seem that the centre of the battle is some way away from here. You are the only survivor I have found." Her mouth formed a small 'o' of surprise and his smile was slow and bitter. "You always were a stubborn one," he said gently.  
  
"Thank you," her voice was fainter now, her eyes still closed. Severus was losing her, he could feel it.  
  
"Hermione." He gave her a little shake, just enough so that she opener her eyes for a moment. "Hermione, I know the only thing that you want to do right now is sleep, but you have to stay with me, just for a little while!" He grasped her hand and squeezed it, hoping that it was not too late. Her response was the faintest of squeezes in return.  
  
"As long as I can," she promised him.  
  
"Just a little longer," he knew his words could offer her little encouragement now. It was all up to her. In the long silence that followed he stroked her hair and held her hand, glad that at least she would not be alone. It would not be long now, he thought with a jolt of pain. It would be over soon and she would be at peace. It was a strange thought that offered him little consolation. Hermione Granger was one of the brightest, most powerful witches he had ever seen. The bodies strewn around her still living form were testament to that. No one on the side of good had deserved to die, but he thought that maybe this witch deserved to live most of all. Severus had known little joy in his life, but he did find pleasure in learning and reading and the precise art of potion-making. He had enjoyed having Hermione as his student more than he cared to admit. Her intellect and obvious enjoyment of his subject had pleased him enormously, even though he had chosen to conceal it with sarcasm and sometimes even cruelty. He had pushed her hard, forcing her to achieve all that she was capable of and he had never praised her. Now that she lay dying in his arms he wished that he had and regretted never doing so. They were more alike than she would ever know, and the world was about to be deprived of its brightest star.  
  
Severus looked down at Hermione's face. She looked as though she was sleeping and it seemed as though her breathing has stabilised a little although he was not sure if he was imagining it.  
  
"Are you still with me?" He whispered to her.  
  
"Yes," she croaked. There was a pause. "Professor?"  
  
"Severus." It seemed as ridiculous to correct her as her own stubborn formality was, but he did it all the same. He hadn't been 'her' professor for nearly three years, he acknowledged sadly.  
  
"Severus," she used his name softly. It sounded strange for her to be doing so, but not altogether uncomfortable.  
  
"Yes?" He wished frantically that he could freeze this moment in time, keeping her safe until help arrived. Hermione smiled a lazy sleepy smile.  
  
"What are those lights?" Her voice was dreamy and he steeled himself against what he knew was coming, feeling an odd little twist in his heart.  
  
"Don't be afraid," he cradled her against him. "You're safe now. The pain will be over shortly. Rest." There were tears in his eyes again and this time he could not prevent them falling. He waited for a few moments and realised that she was still breathing, looking up in astonishment as he too saw the lights. A large group of Mediwitches, wands alight, were crossing the scarred battlefield towards them. Relief overwhelmed him and the sound of sobbing startled him. It was his own.  
  
"Safe now," Hermione whispered, her eyes watching him curiously. "Rest." 


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Chapter 2 up! I'm not entirely happy with it but after a third rewrite I'm happy enough with it to post, so happy reading. It was difficult to keep up the atmosphere of the first chapter, so this one is slightly different, a bit more dialogue based and I've tried my hardest to keep them in character. Still SS/HG though (obviously!) Please let me know what you think in the usual way!  
  
A massive THANK YOU to all of my reviewers so far! You've inspired me to write more! *big hugs to you all *   
  
***  
  
She was standing at the edge of the lake, staring out over the water as the fierce autumn wind angered it into small, white capped waves that flung themselves against the shore. Her hair blew back from her face, chocolate coloured curls that seemed to wave to him, even though he knew she hadn't yet seen him. Her face was pensive as it stared off into the middle distance, but could see that it bore no visible scars of the night she had nearly died. He was surprised to feel relief, surprised in fact to feel any emotion at all. It had been a long time since he had last seen her, lying in a hospital bed, treading the fine line between life and death. Only when they had been sure that she would live had he left with the honest intention of returning to wish her well, but for reasons unknown to him he had not done so, instead choosing to shut himself away from the world again. He had read about her recovery, and had almost gone to see her on the day she was released from hospital but something had held him back, and he had recognised the emotion as fear. It was enough that she had lived, he had decided. It was not necessary to bother her further.  
  
And now, almost six months later, it seemed that she did not exactly share his sentiments. Severus had been caught off guard by her arrival at the castle, his first instinct being to hide away in his rooms, not even wanting to see her face. The very thought of her was unsettling, he could not cope with seeing her or speaking to her. In the time that had passed since that eventful night he had come to the conclusion that all that had happened that night should remain there. He was in no way ashamed of his behaviour, but conversely he did not wish for it to be acknowledged. Severus had no wish to be the centre of attention, wanted no reward for his actions. Such activities were best left to Potter and Weasley, he decided sourly, wondering why she was here, and why she had demanded to see him. Dumbledore had been most insistent, summoning him from the depths of his dungeon and sending him out into the grounds to where she waited for him. Severus resented having to do so and was having difficulty keeping his formidable temper in check, but then he had rounded a corner and seen her standing by the lake and everything had changed. His breathing slowed from a rapid staccato, he felt himself relax. He watched her face in profile, at turns both serene and brooding and thought for a moment that he might understand a little of how she was feeling.  
  
Hesitation suddenly gone he found himself striding across the short space that separated them, watching as her head turned, and meeting her eyes unflinchingly with his own. She inclined her head a little, smiled slightly. He found that he could return neither gesture. As soon as he was standing by her side she turned her attention back to the lake and Severus became aware for the first time of the misty rain that was falling around them.  
  
"Miss Granger," his voice was deliberately clipped. "Please explain why you have summoned me out here in such appalling weather!" He watched as her face fell, not able to feel the perverse glee he might have felt under other, more straightforward circumstances. There was a long pause, during which she used her wand to cast a simple shielding charm around them. The rain continued to fall everywhere but the invisible bubble in which she had sealed them. The silence was becoming oppressive when she finally spoke.  
  
"I felt that I should see you, that we should talk." Her words were carefully chosen, and disarmingly simple. She did not, however, meet his eyes even though he was staring at her openly.  
  
"Talk?" He questioned her sharply. "Talk about what?"  
  
She turned to him then, and it took him only seconds to realise why she had refused to do so before. Her eyes were brimming with tears and she was gnawing miserably at her bottom lip in a vain effort to stop them falling. The vulnerability in her face reminded him of the ordeal she had only recently suffered; it would not do to treat her so harshly. He allowed his face and demeanour to soften a little, in order to show her that he was not as angry as he might be. His reward was a stifled sob as she buried her face in her hands.  
  
"Now really, Miss Granger, this is not necessary," he told her in a softer tone of voice. Her sobbing seemed to intensify as he realised that he had again said the wrong thing, so he took the only path left open to him. "Please don't cry," he whispered, taking two short steps in order to close the gap that separated them. He hesitated, unsure how she would react, then took a deep breath and pulled her into a gentle embrace, wrapping his arms around her slim form. He felt her stiffen slightly, then relax against him as she continued to cry. Her hair tickled his nose and he tried to shift away from it but was surprised to find her clinging to him, her face hidden in his robes. He sighed gently and stayed where he was, prepared to wait patiently until her sudden outpouring of emotion had ceased. He supposed that she had been struggling with the events of the summer for some time and he realised that it had been wrong for him to avoid speaking to her about them for so long. He had been so preoccupied with rebuilding his own life he had paid no attention to how she might rebuild hers. Wisdom and hindsight had seen to it that he could carry on in much the same way he had done before, but for Hermione it was always going to be different. She was young and gifted but not yet wise in the ways of the world. Severus realised now with her sudden reappearance that he should have stayed with her long enough so that she might have understood what it was that had happened to her, instead of walking away to let her face the enormity of the situation alone. He himself had always been alone, but the selfishness of his decision struck him now. He should have helped her then, and he was thoroughly ashamed of himself for not doing so. Lost in his thoughts, he lowered his head to rest it on top of hers, waiting.  
  
It was several long moments later before she had calmed herself sufficiently to speak, her voice still muffled in his robes.  
  
"You saved my life," she said. Severus had been expecting this. He had spent enough time wondering how he would respond to the question, should it ever arise.  
  
"I simply helped you to stay awake until the Mediwitches arrived," he told her softly. She lifted her tear stained face out of his robes then, and he let his arms drop soundlessly back to his sides, feeling a sudden chill sweep through him that was almost a loss. He tried to dismiss these sudden and surprising feelings of tenderness towards her but could not deny the link that they had forged that night. Somehow Hermione Granger had become special to him. At the same point when it had mattered to him whether she lived or died she had become important. The idea was as shocking as it was appealing.  
  
"You did much more than that," Hermione said. She was close enough to him that he could see his reflection in her eyes. Severus mentally shook himself, tried to regain his composure.  
  
"You were very ill Miss Granger, you cannot possibly remember what did or did not take place that night," he lifted his head a little to look down the line of his nose at her, an arrogant gesture of old.  
  
"I remember everything." She assured him. "Everything you said and everything you did. You can deny the fact all you want but I would have died without you," she drew a shuddering breath. "I came here today because I could wait no longer to thank you for what you did. I should have known that you would try to throw it back at me." Her face was taut with anger.  
  
"I am not trying to throw anything back at you," he clenched his teeth and frowned at her, feeling a small surge of anger that liberated him from his sudden feelings of tenderness. "But I do not wish for you to feel obliged to me for something so insignificant!"  
  
"Insignificant?" Hermione's eyes blazed. "I nearly died and you think that it was insignificant?"  
  
"You are twisting my words." His voice was deadly soft, warning her against saying anything further.  
  
"I did not come here to argue with you," she sighed and a weary defeated look spread across her face. "I wanted to thank you. Why can't you accept that?"  
  
Severus stared at her, feeling a headache start to throb at his temple. He had not anticipated her being like this. Her struggle with the acceptance of her near death was evident, and yet she seemed defiant in the face of it. He simply could not find the words to say to her.  
  
"Goodbye, Miss Granger." He had dispelled the shielding charm and turned away from her before she had the chance to react. Her hand on his arm surprised him into stopping and he reluctantly turned back to her as the rain fell on them both.  
  
"Wait." Her voice was low as she stepped in towards him, and as he stubbornly refused to give ground she was soon pressed right up against him. Far from finding the experience unpleasant, Severus was concerned to find that the warmth of her body pressing against his was unnervingly enjoyable. He forced himself to look down at her, not understanding what it was that was shining in her eyes.  
  
"I owe you my life, Severus Snape," she whispered to him, the ghost of a smile playing on her lips. "That is not a debt easily forgotten, however you might wish it." 


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Have I mentioned that I don't own any of this?  
  
Welcome to chapter three! It's a bit on the short side, but I've been pushed for time and I wanted to post something this week so it will have to do!  
  
Once again I've got to thank all my reviewers so far. You're great!  
  
***  
  
She was so close to him now that he could feel the rising and falling of her chest as she breathed, seemingly in time with his own heartbeat which was thudding in his ears. He could not decide whether to move away or not, and frozen with indecision remained where he was. Rain was falling all about them now but he was barely aware of it; the idea flickered in the back of his mind and was gone. There was a long silence during which he watched her guardedly, and then he noticed for the first time the small silver scar that nestled in her hairline. He remembered how she had received it and was compelled to reach out and touch it, running a long finger lightly across her skin and feeling nothing but its softness. She was looking at him with a question in her eyes which emboldened him to run the same finger down the side of her face and along her jaw. Her eyes closed briefly at this and when they opened again he let his hand drop. Tension crackled in the air between them and Severus suddenly did not trust himself.  
  
"You bear your scars bravely, Hermione." He told her in a near-whisper. "But you owe me nothing."  
  
"You're wrong." She shook her head emphatically and her hair, dampened into glossy ringlets, fell about her shoulders. Severus stared at it, distracted. It had been a long time since he had felt this way about anyone or anything and it was disconcerting. He tried to distance himself from what he was feeling and he tried to reinstate some of the old barriers he used to keep people out. The problem was, he had shown the young woman in front of him too much of himself to take it back now, and she knew it. He knew enough of her determination to understand that she would be depending on this in their current battle of wills. The thought almost made him smile. His mouth was turning up at the corners before he could bring it under control, and he was angry with himself for no apparent reason other than his sudden and unexpected weakness for her.  
  
"You don't understand." She was angry again, he realised. He had hurt her pride by refusing to accept that she owed him anything.  
  
"I do understand." He spoke in a low voice, the words tumbling over each other as he forced them all out. He wanted her to know the truth, to see what it was that he had struggled with that night. "I've seen enough death to know how you must have been feeling. I did not wish for you to die, Hermione, but at the time I knew that I alone could not save you. I wanted to be there for you if you were to die. I will continue to be there for you because you did not if that is what you wish." She trembled against him as his words hit home. "I meant everything I said that night. You are a brave young woman. There is so much that you should see and do before it really is your time. You were meant to live, Hermione. You were meant to go on."  
  
Her eyes were filling up with tears again but this time she seemed determined not to cry and she brushed them impatiently away. He could see that the pain was still there, but it was tempered by understanding. Her eyes retained a haunted look, but that was fading and would soon be replaced with the acceptance of her survival.  
  
"If it hadn't been for you I would be dead right now," she said quietly, reiterating her point, brown eyes seeking out his. "I wouldn't have survived at all. I feel as though I should repay you in some way."  
  
Severus frowned at her. He had no wish to make any claims over her life. What she was saying might well be true but he wanted her to believe otherwise for her own good.  
  
"And what exactly have you got to repay me with?" He asked her incredulously. "Is it possible that you have something that I might want?"  
  
His statement was deliberately provocative. The implication was clear, and there was no way she could pretend not to understand him. She flushed prettily, and dropped her eyes from his, studying the front of his robes intently. Severus stared at the top of her head, impatient for her answer.  
  
"Well?" He placed his hands on her shoulders and did not remove them. She lifted her head.  
  
Her eyes were dark and wide, but not shocked as he thought they might have been. She opened her mouth to speak and Severus found his gaze inexplicably drawn there, tilting his head a little closer to hers in order to hear what it was she might say. She took a deep breath. He did the same. She looked from his eyes to his mouth once, twice. He swallowed. She closed her eyes.  
  
He kissed her.  
  
He closed the tiny gap that separated them and pressed his lips gently against hers, intending the briefest of contacts. He only wanted to feel the softness and warmth of her mouth for a few seconds before pulling away but something happened that changed all that.  
  
She kissed him back.  
  
He felt her arms go around him as she leaned into him and felt her mouth soften beneath his, allowing him to kiss her properly. He could not resist what she was offering as it was being offered so sweetly and so he kissed her thoroughly, exploring her mouth with gentle sweeps of his tongue, intoxicated by the way she tasted and felt. Far from resisting him, Hermione matched his sudden and unexpected passion with some of her own and when he finally pulled away to stare at her incredulously they were both breathless.  
  
"Well?" She panted at him. Her eyes were dark with meaning. Severus watched as she caught her lower lip between her teeth and worried it. His decision had been made the second he kissed her. He knew what he wanted. He was finding it difficult to believe that she might want it too, but the look in her eye suggested that she did. He brought his face very close to hers and wondered if this game that they were playing might be something more. He did not want her gratitude but he was beginning to realise that perhaps that was not what she was offering after all. His heart gave an odd little jolt as he acknowledged the appeal of the idea and he felt a sudden tenderness towards her that he did not know he was capable of feeling. He sighed and then blinked, suddenly aware of the rain that had been steadily soaking them both. She was looking at him questioningly, waiting for his answer to her question. He took her hand and looked down at it as it rested in his.  
  
"My quarters?" He asked her quietly. She nodded jerkily.  
  
"Now?" She murmured.  
  
"Now." 


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: I'm going to have to warn everyone that this is a seriously fluffy chapter. If you've read the others you'll understand why. It's more or less a flash of inspiration really, all written in one night on a borrowed computer because mine is off in exotic Mansfield (!!) being repaired. I'm pretty pleased with it, but there's only going to be one more after this, just sort of tying up loose ends I think. I've been looking at the reviews and at the moment I'm considering writing another story dealing with the same facts but from Hermione's POV, just to give it a bit of balance. Any ideas? Please let me know in the usual way.  
  
I'm dedicating this one to cosmo-queen to apologise for the suspense! I hope this doesn't disappoint. Many thanks once again to all of my reviewers, I love you all loads.  
  
BTW if anyone knows the title of the SS/HG songfic story based around the Elton John song 'Original Sin' could they let me know? There's another one I'd really appreciate the title of as well, but all I can remember is Hermione and Sev on a hidden balcony at Hogwarts. Any answers would be massively appreciated!  
  
***  
  
He lay next to her in the darkness afterwards, not quite believing what it was they had done. She had chosen to spoon herself up against him and he could feel the warmth of the back of her body along the front of his. He placed a protective arm around her and rested his head on the soft skin of her shoulder, listening to her breathing as it slowed and eventually settled into the regular rhythm of sleep. He found himself at something of a loss; he was not able yet to sleep, as his mind was too busy trying to assimilate what it was that had taken place between them. Hermione had said very little the entire time, preferring to let her actions speak for her. They had walked silently but purposefully back to his rooms and had encountered no one. He had led her willingly to his bed and then there had been no hesitation, no turning back. He had found the experience almost bittersweet in its intensity, and now it was over he was surprised at the lack of awkwardness, especially from her. She had simply rested herself against him and fallen asleep. He hoped she was dreaming of all the sweet things she deserved life to bring her.  
  
He pressed his mouth softly to her shoulder, at the same time inhaling her sweet scent, trying to commit it to memory and refusing to let it pass him by in case he never got the opportunity to do it again. He wanted to do it again, he realised. And more than that. He was perceptive enough to realise that she could be the chink in the suit of armour he presented to the world; the effect she had on him was extraordinary. Lying quietly with her in his arms he was experiencing a feeling of peace so complete he knew without doubt he had never experienced it before. He felt himself on an even footing with the world for a change, and all of the old bitterness just seemed to be fading away. He breathed in and out rapidly a few times, searching vainly for his pain; pain that had been omnipresent in his life for as long as he could remember. Much of it had been dissipated with the departure of the Dark Lord but he had still experienced a lingering bitterness, a fiery anger he could not find a way of quenching, at least not alone . . .  
  
Severus did not think for a minute that Hermione would want to stay with him the way he wanted to stay with her, and he had long given up on hoping for anything. He hoped that she could be at peace with her life on the terms that it had offered her and he was glad of the role he had played. He knew that when he did sleep it would be undisturbed by the nightmares of nights gone by and if that was her way of repaying him for saving her life then it would be enough. The fact remained that making love to her had been sweeter than he had ever known it, but he had carefully committed everything to memory and the rich tapestry of memory would always see him through whatever life threw his way. He had been lonely, he knew, but at least now he had tasted life at its' best and that would be enough. It had to be.  
  
***  
  
When staring into the darkness became tiresome he summoned the strength to perform a small piece of wandless magic, lighting a few candles around the room so that he might watch her sleep by candlelight. He looked down at her and sighed, trailing a hand absently down the line of her back and tracing the curve of her hip all the way down to her knee. Her skin appeared dewy in the hazy light and it was soft and supple beneath his fingers. Raising himself up onto an elbow he ran an emboldened hand across her waist, tugging her closer in towards him, not realising his mistake until her voice, muffled with sleep, cut through the silence.  
  
"What are you doing?" She asked. He could not decide if she was angry or simply half-asleep, as her tone of voice gave nothing away. He was suddenly lost for words, and found himself staring at her back open mouthed. The silence lengthened until she abruptly turned over so that they were face to face. Her eyes were impossible to read in the faint light and her hair was all over her face. He took the opportunity to smooth it all away as he felt her slender body curve into his. They were touching from shoulder to ankle and it was more than pleasant. Severus felt a stir of excitement, surprising himself. He was sure Hermione felt it too because she smiled faintly.  
  
"I . . . I don't know." He found his voice at last but what it said was distinctly unimpressive. Looking down at her he could sense amusement. He was not sure why.  
  
"You do know," she insisted sleepily.  
  
"I just wanted to remember you," he muttered helplessly.  
  
"Remember me?"  
  
"For when you're gone." She was snuggling into him now, entwining her legs with his, her arms comfortably around his waist. He found himself wishing she would stay.  
  
"Who said I was going anywhere?" She whispered, flicking him a glance before resting her head against his chest and kissing it in a gesture he recognised as tenderness. He almost forgot to breathe.  
  
"In the morning." He suppressed a groan as she placed tiny butterfly kisses up his throat.  
  
"Who said I was going anywhere in the morning?" Her lips reached his then and she kissed him, hard. When he had the chance to reply, several minutes had passed.  
  
"Are you saying you'd like to stay? Here? With me?" His eyes were opaque with passion but his mind would not let him succumb just yet.  
  
"For a little while." He made her feel safe he realised. Nothing more. She probably wanted his counsel about the way to proceed. He had offered it after all. When did it become too little? When you kissed her, a little voice told him. When you brought her here to your bed. There was no doubt that this had complicated things for him enormously. He had not ever expected to feel this way.  
  
"A little while?" He was fast becoming distracted by her hands, hands that were wandering at will. She nodded.  
  
"As long as you like really," she whispered, and there was vulnerability in her brown eyes again. "As long as you'll . . ." she gave a little gasp as his hands did some wandering of their own, ". . . have me really."  
  
Severus did not need to be asked twice. He kissed her gently before lowering his weight carefully down onto her. As the first time, he was stunned that they could fit together so perfectly. He felt her back arch and then her hips tilted against him and then they were one again, moving slowly together in the candlelight, staring into each others' eyes momentarily speechless at the magic that they had managed to create again. Severus saw sudden tears form in her eyes and hoped they were happy ones as he smoothed them away.  
  
"Well." His voice was hoarse as he pressed his mouth to hers, kissing and speaking at the same time. "I could always arrange it so that you never leave." 


End file.
